The Hellenic Presidency ΕνωμΕνοι πλΕουμΕ πιο μακρια Having set its priorities, tHe Hellenic presidency of tHe council of Ministers of tHe european union will pursue its goals wHile reMaining frugal. | Έχοντας θΈςΈι τις βαςικΈς της προτΈραιοτητΈς, η Έλληνικη προΈδρια του ςυμβουλιου υπουργών της Έυρώπαϊκης Ένώςης θα ΈπιδιώξΈι να ΈκπληρώςΈι τους ςτοχους της χρηςιμοποιώντας λιτα μΈςα. Europe, showing the best structural – that is, cyclically Our second priority is to deepen our common quest adjusted – primary surplus in the Eurozone, at the European and Eurozone economic over 6% of GDP. There are good grounds for op- governance institutions and shore up the he Hellenic Presidency of the Council of timism that the six months of the Hellenic Presi- common currency. Special care will be Ministers of the European Union started dency will coincide with the recovery of Greece’s taken to further promote the institutional on 1 January 2014, in the midst of Eu- real economy. completion of the banking union. T rope’s efforts to overcome the econom- ic crisis, and with the debate intensifying ahead The third priority is protection of common of the upcoming elections for the new European Setting Priorities European borders, a basic pillar of which Parliament. Paramount in this debate is the need Faced with the challenges posed by the crisis and is management of legal immigration and to promote growth and safeguard the European faltering confidence in the European Union, Greece effective confronting of illegal migration. There social model of democracy and rule of law – ele- will exercise the Presidency of the Union by adopt- is already close and ongoing cooperation ments that until recently were taken for granted, ing policy and thematic priorities dictated exclu- with the European Commission and all the but that have been put to the test by the crisis. sively by the needs of the citizens of the Union. Mediterranean countries of the European The period of the Hellenic Presidency will also be South on finding the best possible solutions. pivotal in Greece, at a time when the first signs The Hellenic Presidency’s top priority of an exit from the crisis are becoming discern- will be the promotion, on a pan-European Finally, the Hellenic Presidency’s able; a crisis that has cost the Greek economy a level, of policies for bolstering growth horizontal priority, which runs through all cumulative recession of 25% of GDP, with unem- and the real economy, strengthening the other priorities, is the development ployment rates mushrooming, particularly for SMEs with the aim of creating new jobs. of a comprehensive maritime policy that the young. Thanks to the persistent efforts and Particular emphasis will also be put on promotes blue growth, tourism, alternative sacrifices of the Greek people, Greece has tak- policies that create jobs and strengthen the forms of energy, fisheries, and maritime en major strides in the direction of fiscal health, competitiveness of Europe’s real economy. spatial planning. 8